The Arab Spring Abroad Diaspora Activism against Authoritarian Regimes Cambridge Studies in Contentious Politics Series

The Arab Spring revolutions of 2011 sent shockwaves across the globe, mobilizing diaspora communities to organize forcefully against authoritarian regimes. Despite the important role that diasporas can play in influencing affairs in their countries of origin, little is known about when diaspora actors mobilize, how they intervene, or what makes them effective. This book addresses these questions, drawing on over 230 original interviews, fieldwork, and comparative analysis. Examining Libyan, Syrian, and Yemeni mobilization from the US and Great Britain before and during the revolutions, Dana M. Moss presents a new framework for understanding the transnational dynamics of contention and the social forces that either enable or suppress transnational activism.

1. Diaspora Activism and the Dynamics of Voice; 2. Exit from Authoritarianism; 3. Silenced and Split; 4. Coming Out and Coming Together; 5. Voice for Rebellion and Relief; 6. Converting Resources to the Cause; 7. Gaining Geopolitical Support.

Dana M. Moss is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research investigates how authoritarian forces repress their critics and how social movements resist this repression in a globalized world. Her work has been published in top sociology venues and has received several awards from the American Sociological Association. This is her first book.